Dark Horizons
by spudicus87
Summary: Sequel to Line of Succession. What happens after NFA and the future of the order.
1. Prelude To Darkness

**Disclaimer: **Everything belongs to the almighty Joss. Nothing is mine.

A.N. This story picks up where Line of Succession left off. Please read that before you start this one. It will make more sense.

**Dark Horizons**

**Prelude to Darkness**

As Angel and his crew take over Wolfram and Hart Spike comes back as a ghost that haunts Angel and amuses the rest of his crew. Spike is soon confronted by a necromancer by the name of Magnus Hainsley, who offers to put Spike into Angel's body and get rid of Angel. This plan thankfully falls through. The Order has no interest in having Spike as a leader in Angel's body. The Order is confident that Wolfram and Hart will make Angelus reappear again. Spike is also later confronted by Pavayne, who wants to send Spike to Hell so that he can stay the way he is, out of Hell. Pavayne is later defeated and Spike becomes corporeal again.

This sets things off balance because there are two vampires with souls when there should be only one vampire champion. Spike and Angel fight and Spike prevails only to find out that he hasn't really won anything. In the eyes of Angel's crew Angel is still the champion that will fulfill the Shanshu prophecy. The only thing that the fight has really accomplished is the doubt that it set in Angel. This doubt is later used when Angel becomes ill and with nightmares, hallucinations, and fever dreams that point to Spike as the true champion that should have everything that Angel has including his job, friends, and destiny. This is further proved when Spike shows up and saves Angel. Lindsey McDonald makes a reappearance and works behind the scenes to topple Angel from his powerful position at Wolfram and Hart. The Order is pleased that he has showed up again. Lindsey seems even better candidate than he had been when he left. An insane slayer makes her presence know and The Council sends Andrew and a group of slayers to retrieve her after Wolfram and Hart capture her. Andrew also tells the group, most importantly Angel, that no one on their team trusts him anymore.

With doubts weighing heavily on his mind Angel decides to quit Wolfram and Hart leaving to try and go back to his roots; helping the helpless when Cordelia wakes up in a last ditch effort to get Angel back on track and to make him believe that he is the champion of the Powers. With her departure she leaves Angel with one last vision that set Angel back on the path, much to The Order's dismay. They thought that with Angel doubt it would be a way for them to confront him.

Soon after that Fred was taken over by the god-king, Illyria. After Angel tries to get help from Giles that is met with strict refusal. With the death of Fred the group splits apart. A contact informs Angel of Buffy's current whereabouts and situation and leaves immediately, with Spike in tow, to Italy. Angel and Spike is confronted once again by Andrew who tells them to move on because Buffy is over them and no longer needs them. Upon their return to Los Angeles Angel seems to turn even darker and starts to alienate his group. This allows him access to The Circle of the Black Thorn and everything falls into place. Angel's plan is soon revealed and the gang, with Lindsey, takes out The Circle of the Black Thorn and go up against the Senior Partners. Lorne leaves after shooting Lindsey and completing his task. Wesley dies and Gunn is mortally wounded. In an alley the four remaining members of the team come face to face with the army of demons of the Senior Partners and the final fight for Angel Investigations begins.

TBC

A.N. Look for my next update sometime next week where we find out what happens to the group. Please read and review.


	2. Searching

Searching

"Spike." Spike feels his face being slapped and opens his eyes. He sees a blurry figure standing above him.

"Angel?" He asks in a whisper.

"Spike, you're going to be okay…" Angel looks behind him down the other end of the alley then at the sky. "I have to go. You'll be fine. The others will be here soon." Angel gets up and starts down the alley.

"Wait. What are you talking about? The others? Angel where are you going?" But Angel's already gone. Seconds later, or what seems like seconds to Spike, the alley is flooded with slayers.

"Is anyone alive?" Spike hears someone ask, but he doesn't have the strength to respond. Spike suddenly gets the feeling that someone is watching him and slowly opens his eyes.

"Spike? I thought you died." One of the slayers says.

"Spike? What do you mean Spike?" Buffy comes into Spike's view. "Spike, you actually stuck around?"

"Why aren't you surprised to see me?" Spike asks.

"Andrew told me you were alive on the way over. You are so dead once we get you out of here." Buffy bends down to help him up and suddenly pulls back.

"What it's not like I'm going to bite you or anything." Spike retorts.

"Spike, when did you get a heartbeat?" Buffy asks.

"What are you talkin' 'bout Slayer?" Spike asks.

"Spike you're human." Buffy tells him.

"Oh, maybe that's why everything hurts so much." Spike says.

"Maybe. Lets get you out of here." Buffy leans back down to bring Spike to his feet. A group of slayers come over and take Spike.

"There's no one else here." One of the slayers report. Willow comes up beside Buffy.

"You didn't find Angel?" Buffy asks.

"No. He's not here. I mean at least the solid type of him. I'm sorry." Willow says.

"He's still alive." Spike says.

"How do you know?" Buffy asks.

"I saw him before he left." Spike answers.

"Where did he go?" Willow asks.

"I don't know." Spike responds.

Senior Partners Dimension

"Have you found him yet?" One of the Senior Partners asks.

"No, sir. He fled as soon as he could and we have yet to be successful on pinpointing where he is." One of the demons reports.

"What information do you have?" Another Senior Partner asks.

"He seems to be staying in the United States, but every time we do close in on him he moves on. I do have one concern." The demon says.

"And that is?" A Senior Partner asks.

"I'm afraid that having such a large group of us going after him will bring unnecessary attention to us and to him. His friends may show up to try and help him." The demon tells them.

"They do not concern us. Continue with what you are doing until you find him and capture him." The Senior Partners order.

London, England: New Watchers Council 

"We have to find Angel." Buffy states.

"Not one to rain on your parade pet, but if Angel doesn't want to be found then he isn't going to be." Spike tells her.

"Yeah, Buff. What's the big deal? It's only Deadboy we're talkin' about here right?" Xander asks.

"That doesn't matter Xander. We need to find Angel to see what information he has on the Senior Partners. Spike doesn't have nearly enough information on these creatures and it's imperative that we find out more." Giles tells everyone. Buffy looks around and sees that everyone is in agreement.

"Good. Now lets get started on trying to find Angel." Buffy orders.

TBC

A.N. Sorry for such the long wait. College has been a little busy and I may be getting a new job. Chapter 3 is already in the works and may be up by Christmas. Please read and review. I would really like to know what you think about this story.


	3. Found

Found

Cleveland, Ohio

Faith is out on a regular patrol. The demon activity has suddenly spiked and seems to be centered on this particular part of the city. She has been going through each and every warehouse. A sudden noise from the lower level of the warehouse she is patrolling catches her attention. When she finds what had made the noise she is surprised. Angel is lying in the corner on the floor unconscious. Faith runs over and kneels beside him.

"Angel?" she asks, but receives no reply. She looks him over and finds various injuries adoring his body. She tries again to get a response out of him, but is still met with silence. She stands up and pulls out her cell phone.

"Robin? ...Yeah I'm fine…I need you to come down to the warehouse district with the car. I'll see you soon, Bye." Faith talks into the phone and then hangs up. She turns around to check on Angel and is met with the tip of his broadsword pointed at her throat.

"Hey, Big Guy." Faith greets.

Angel doesn't respond.

"So what have you been up to? From the looks of it you've been on the receiving end." Faith tries again.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asks.

"Well, if you haven't noticed I'm a Slayer so I'm slaying." Faith tells him sarcastically.

"Why here?"

"Well for your information this place is on a Hellmouth and there's been a lot of baddies making noises around here lately. If you wouldn't mind movin' that thing away from my throat, it's not very social." Faith tells him.

"If you know where I am then it won't be long before the others find me." Angel says to himself, lowering his sword.

"Angel, what are you talkin' about?" Faith asks.

"Don't play stupid, Faith. It doesn't suit you. I have to leave." Angel says and starts to limp away.

"Wait." Faith says and grabs his arm. "You're not goin' anywhere until you tell me who 'they' are."

"You really don't know?" He asks and she shakes her head. "But, why not? I would think that if the council wanted me then they would have had everyone looking for me."

"Angel, what are you talkin' about…you know what never mind you're comin' with me and then you can tell me what's going on and why you look like hell." She told him and dragged him out of the warehouse to wait for Robin. A few minutes later Robin showed up with the car and Faith manages to convince a skeptical Angel to get in the car.

Faith's Place

"Now that we're here. Tell me what happened to you." Faith told Angel as she wound gauze around his abdomen.

"How much do you already know?" Angel asks as he leans forward so she could wrap the gauze his back easier.

"Not much. After we closed the Hellmouth we all sort of went our separate ways.

From what I heard most of the slayers followed Giles and Buffy to Europe. Aside from that we don't really talk much. So back to my question, what's up with you?" Faith told him. Angel then proceeds to tell her what has happened in the past year.

"…then after the battle the only one that I found alive was Spike, and I mean literally alive. I guess he deserves it…I mean he's the real hero after all. I heard the slayers before they were in the alley so I ran. I knew they didn't trust me and I figured that now that Spike was human he would be okay." Angel finished. Faith had finished bandaging Angel and they now sat on the couch.

"So that explains why you didn't trust me when I found you, but the fight was months ago. Why are you so beat up?" Faith asks.

"The remainder of the army the Senior Partners sent after us has been following me since then and if it isn't them then it's the slayers that are trying to hunt me down." Angel tells her.

"So you're just Mr. Popular. Who would've guessed?" Faith says.

"Yeah." Angel replies.

"Well, there's a spare bedroom upstairs. You can stay her for awhile. I mean no one from the council ever shows up and I can deal with the demons while you recover." Faith suggests.

"Yeah, okay." Angel agrees.

Several weeks later

Angel is upstairs still recuperating while Faith and Robin prepare for patrol. There's a knock at the door and Robin goes to see who it is. Robin comes back into the room after checking who it was.

"Buffy's here." Robin told Faith.

"What? Why is she here? Is she alone?" Faith asks.

"No. Should I let them in?" Robin says.

"Who else is with her?"

"Giles, Andrew, and Willow."

"This isn't going to work out well. If we don't let them in they'll think something is wrong. I'm going to go up and check on Angel. Give me a minute then let them in." Faith tells him. She heads upstairs while Robin heads for the door.

"Hello, Robin how have you been?" Giles asks when Robin opens the door.

"Good. It's quite a surprise to see you all here." Robin says as he ushers everyone in and into the living room.

"We noticed that there was quite an increase in demon activity over here and decided to come and see if you needed any assistance." Giles tells him.

"Well it's been okay. Nothing that we can't handle." Robin tells him.

"Where's Faith?" Buffy asks.

"Upstairs getting something." Robin tells her.

Faith comes into the room.

"Hey, B. How's it going?" Faith greets.

"Pretty good. How 'bout yourself?" Buffy asks.

"Can't complain." Faith responds.

"So you want some company on patrol?" Buffy asks.

"Sure." Faith says.

They all leave moments later.

Cemetery

Everyone is fighting a pack of demons and seems to be winning. The leader of the group starts to retreat but not before saying, "You can't protect him forever slayer, we'll get him." He directs at Faith and then leaves with the remaining members of his group.

"Him? Who's 'him'?" Willow asks.

"I have no clue." Faith responds and turns away. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I think it's time to call it a night."

Faith's Place

Everyone is settled in the living room.

"Faith, where is your bathroom?" Willow asks.

"Upstairs, first door on the left." Faith responds.

Willow headed up to the bathroom.

"So what have you guys been up to?" Faith asks.

"Nothing much. Rebuilding the Council, gathering Slayers, you know the usual." Buffy answers.

"Have you heard form Angel lately?" Robin asks. The room is suddenly deathly quiet. Buffy looks confused by the question, while Giles looks angry, and Andrew looks worried. Giles is the first to answer.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"We heard rumors of a big throw down fight in LA, thought Angel might have had something to do with it." Faith responds.

"Yes their were reports of a huge demon horde..." Andrew starts to explain.

"Shut up Andrew." Buffy tells him. "Yes, he was in the fight, but I haven't heard from him since. Nobody knows where he is."

Upstairs

Willow is walking back from the bathroom when she hears a noise in the room a couple of doors down from the bathroom. She approaches the room carefully and opens the door.

"Oh my…" Willow yells.

Downstairs

Conversation ceases when they here Willow yell and Buffy is at the front of the group making their way upstairs. What they find is Willow standing in the doorway of a room blocking their view.

"What is it Will?" Buffy asks and almost faints when she comes to stand by her friend.

There standing in a shadowed corner of the room was Angel gripping his broadsword.

"Angel?" Buffy asks and walks past her friend into the room, but stops when he raises his sword at her. Faith fights her way through the group and into the room behind Buffy.

"What are they doing here?" Angel asks Faith. "I thought you says they wouldn't show up."

"I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't know they were coming. They just showed up." Faith says as she approaches Angel.

"I have to leave." Angel tells her. "They know where I am now. It's not safe anymore."

"Leave? Why?" Willow asks.

"You know why." Angel says as he buttons his shirt the best he can with one hand, still holding the broadsword defensively.

"Angel let me help you." Buffy offers and steps forward only to be met with a growl.

"I don't need you're help." Angel barks at her. "Not anymore."

Faith approaches him slowly with her hands upturned. "Angel please think about this. You're not at a hundred percent yet. You should stay here until you're healed."

"No, then they," he points his broadsword at the group "will come after me and I can't have that." He shrugs into his jacket and steps forward, raising his sword. "Not get out of the way."

Faith moves out of the way only to be replaced by Buffy.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on." Buffy tells him.

"B, please just let him go." Faith pleads. "He doesn't trust you anymore and I'm not sure I do anymore for that matter." She turns to the rest of the group. "Any of you."

In a flurry of movement Angel is past Buffy and out t he window before she realizes it. She starts to go after him only to be stopped by Willow.

"Let him go. He doesn't want to talk right now." Willow says. "Lets all go downstairs and talk." She suggests.

Downstairs

"How long has he been here?" Giles inquired.

"A few weeks." Robin says.

"Where did you find him?" Giles asks.

"I don't think that matters." Faith says. "What I do think that matters is the fact that you all don't trust him anymore and haven't for a long time, and that you've been hunting him for months."

"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't he trust us?" Willow asks.

"Angel says that he made a call when he was still at W&H asking for help. He was told that he wasn't trusted anymore and to not call again. He also told me about the Dana incident. Nice work Andrew." Faith tells them.

Buffy stands up and corners Andrew.

"You told him that he wasn't trusted anymore!" She yells at him. "Why?"

"It wasn't my idea. I was just following orders." Andrew tells her. Buffy's focus swings to her Watcher.

"Why? Why wasn't I included in this? Why don't you trust him?" Buffy questions.

"He is a vampire, Buffy. He is the CEO of an evil law firm. We can't trust him. He is the enemy." Giles tells her.

"He 'was' the CEO of an evil law firm." Willow points out. "Why did he call for help? Was it the final battle?"

"No something about a demon infecting one of his people." Giles tells her.

"Who?" Willow asks.

"Fred. It was Fred." Faith replies. "The demon infected her and destroyed her soul. Killing her and taking over her body."

"Fred died?" Willow asks and turns her attention to Giles. "You let her die?"

"It is not in the interest of the Council to help evil law firms." Giles states.

"Fred wasn't evil, none of them were. You just left them to watch her die?" Willow says as she sits on the couch.

"Now that everybody knows why Angel no longer trusts you guys, what are you guys going to do about it?" Faith asks.

"I don't know." Buffy answers.

TBC

Sorry for such the long wait. I hadmajor writer's block on this chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Hopefully the next chapter will come more easily. Please read&review.


	4. The Storm

The Storm

St. Paul, Minnesota

Angel is 'resting' in an abandoned building. It has been weeks since he left Cleveland and Faith behind. Since then the demon horde had caught up to him a couple of times and he almost didn't make it out of Chicago. Angel is torn out of his recollection by a sound coming from the front of the building. Before Angel can make it to his feet he is surrounded by a group of vampires.

"Okay," Angel says as he makes it to his feet. "You guys what to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" Before anyone could answer a vampire stepped forward, looking to be the leader of the bunch.

"I am sorry if we have given you the impression that we wish to do you harm. We wish to present you with a proposition." The supposed vampire leader explains.

"What kind of proposition?" Angel asks cautiously, still holding his broadsword defensively.

"We both have a common bond. I am of the bloodline of Aurelius. As you probably already know from your own sources you once had at Wolfram & Hart, we are not as strong as we once were. With the destruction of so many of are older brethren we have lost our focused strength. We wish for you to take over as Master of the bloodline." The vampire explains.

"You do realize that I still have my soul?" Angel asks.

"We believe that we can overcome this set back." The vampire answers.

"If you mean by taking my soul away then the deals off." Angel threatens.

"No, you misunderstand. We believe that you will still make a good leader with or without your soul. As the humans have proven, just because you have a soul doesn't mean it makes you good or bad." The vampire defends.

"What do I get out of this deal?" Angel asks.

"Protection. As Master it is the first priority to protect you." The vampire answers.

"Okay. I accept, but we do everything my way." Angel orders.

"Of course. That is your right as Master." The vampire agrees.

"Alright. So first things first, we need to get rid of this demon horde that is after me." Angel orders.

"Already being taken care of sir. All threats that are currently after you are being neutralized as we speak. May I suggest that we make our way home so you can become familiar with the site and the others?" The vampire suggested.

"Yes. Before we do anything else, what is your name?" Angel asks as they start to make their way to the entrance of the building.

"I am John, and these," John gestures to the vampires surrounding them. "Are your, lets say, guards until we make it home."

As they exit the abandoned building Angel spots a limo waiting on the street. John motions for him to follow and they get into the limo. Two of his said "guards join him in the back with John while another sits upfront with the driver. The rest of the vampires pile into two SUV's located behind and in front of the limo. As they make their departure Angel focuses on John.

"I thought you said the order had lost power since the Master died." Angel says.

"We lost some of our power, but not our money." John replies.

"So, where are we going?" Angel asks.

"To the airport. From there we will make our way to Los Angeles. The demon horde that remained there has been taken care of and that is where we now reside." John reports.

"You sound like the leader of this thing. Why am I needed?" Angel asks.

"I have been sent to bring you back to the lair. I have been given the job of leader only in the capacity of making sure you return to Los Angeles in one piece and unharmed." John says.

"So others in the order want me in charge? What do they have planned once I get back to LA?" Angel asks, but before he gets an answer the limo comes to a stop and the guard opens the door. Waiting for Angel to step out of the vehicle. John had already exited from the other side of the vehicle and was making his way to the jet that Angel guessed was waiting for them to board. Angel steps out of the limo and boards the plane after John.

London, England

As Angel makes his way to Los Angeles pockets of Aurelian vampires neutralize the threats that have been chasing Angel for the past months. A group has surrounded the flat of Rupert Giles.

Inside the Residence of Rupert Giles

"We need to find him. He is still a threat." Giles says to Andrew, the only other one in the house.

"But Mr. Giles you know that Buffy won't let us do anything to him. She still isn't happy about what we did when he was in charge of Wolfram & Hart." Andrew replies.

"That doesn't matter he must still be found and brought in." Giles claims. Just then the fire alarm sounds and the room fills with smoke. As Giles and Andrew make their way out of the flat they are surrounded by vampires. The vampires attack and kill Giles and Andrew with ease, throwing the bodies into the fire. One of the vampires pull out a cell phone.

"It's done."

TBC

A/N: Sorry for such the long wait. I've had a huge case of writer's block and college has been crazy. Please read and review, it's your reviews that give me the will to write. Hopefully more to come soon, if not later.


	5. Authors Note

AN: I know it has been a while since I have updated any of my stories, but I do plan on continuing all of my stories but I do plan on continuing all of my stories. You probably won't see an update till after the 4th of July holiday because of the college classes I am taking now, but there will be an update to some, if not all, my stories sometime in July. Thanks for reading and keep reviewing. Your reviews and thoughts keep me going when I hit the wall.

spudicus87


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